Salvage Operation
by Timeloopy
Summary: Jack said their relationship was already wrecked. Can it be salvaged?


Jack stood up with one last look at the crumpled figure lying on the ground. After all the tears he'd cried on this island – all the tears that had dimmed his eyes over the years – his eyes were dry now. At this moment when anyone would have understood the tears, he seemed to have run out.

He walked away from her in a daze – away from her – away from Kate. Because that's what he did wasn't it? When the going got tough? When she needed him the most?

That first time when she'd confessed to him that she killed the man she loved.

That time in the jungle when she'd followed him and been kidnapped.

When he heard that Claire was his sister and he'd been faced with knowing he'd left her behind.

When she told him he couldn't drink around the child they were raising.

And now.

He stumbled away from her in a daze. He needed a drink and he wanted to die. One-stop shopping, his muddled brain told him as he turned his steps in the direction of the man who might be able to fulfill both needs.

"She okay?" James said as soon as Jack's steps were near enough for him to hear over the bubbling spring where he knelt. His voice was hard and broken all at the same time.

"No," Jack said. "I need a drink."

James whirled at gaped at him. "You need what?"

"A drink," Jack repeated, his voice listless – dull.

"Is she?" James's face was a stone mask – steeled against yet another loss.

"She's alive. She's just in a lot of pain."

"And you left her alone?" James growled, tearing past Jack into the jungle along the path Jack had just taken.

Jack felt disappointment wash over him. He wished James had killed him days ago when he'd first made the threat. But it was too late for that. James still hated him, but he'd lost the taste for violence. They all had.

Jack looked at the pack James had left behind on the ground in his concern for Kate. The bottle protruded from the fallen pack – so Jack had been right about that at least. He fought a battle that seemed to him to take hours but in reality only lasted a few seconds. Then he turned and followed the other man's steps into the jungle.

Jack came back to the clearing and stood just out of sight – listening to the scene he should have been part of – letting James take the place that should have been his.

James dropped to a knee beside her and picked up the wet cloth that Jack had dropped when he left. He seemed uncertain for a moment then pasted on that cocky grin that Jack had always hated – but somehow at the moment he was glad to see it.

"Laying around when there's work to be done, huh Freckles?" James said dropping onto one hip and scooting closer to her. He lifted her head and shoulders onto his knee and swiped the rag across her face to try and cool her off. She was hot to the touch.

"Where's Jack?" she murmured. "You said you'd bring Jack."

"What you want Jack for when you got me?" James said and Jack saw him swallow back some emotion from where he was standing – anger, sorrow, pain – maybe all three.

"I need to tell him about the baby," her voice floated to Jack where he cowered. _You already did, Jack wanted to say. You told me and I ran away – ran and hid._

"You sure it's his?" James asked and Jack wanted to hit him.

Until Kate laughed.

Jack lied to himself then – told himself that James was better for her now – all he'd ever brought this woman that he loved was tears. And death. Now, she was dying and there was no one to blame for that but himself.

He turned away from them again and wandered into the jungle – he wished he could cry – since when did the tears not flow freely down his cheeks at the slightest provocation?

After some time a hand closed over his shoulder and Jack turned to face James.

So, this was it.

He'd die now.

He was ready to die.

"Finish it," Jack said dully.

"I'm not going to kill you, you idiot," James said.

Jack thought incongruously that the tears he'd been unable to shed had somehow found their way onto the face of the other man. The only time he'd seen James cry was the day Juliet died – and now he was crying again so that meant. . .

"She wants you," James was saying and Jack had to work hard to focus on the words.

"You mean she's not. . ."

"Dead?" James spat. "No. She's not dead. She's alive and she's asking for you. So get your ass over there before I decide to kill you after all."

"But, I thought pregnant women always die on the island," Jack said and this time James did hit him. Jack's head snapped back from the blow and he fell backward. _Finish it._ But instead, he looked up to see James bloodied hand extended to help him up.

"Been wanting to do that," James said with a heavy sigh. "Look Doc. I don't know if all the pregnant women die on the island now or not. I mean, Jules thought it was a sure enough death sentence – but much as I loved her – she was wrong sometimes. Maybe Kate's just got the flu. . .maybe she's having a sunstroke. . .or a miscarriage. . .or a hundred other things that could cause a high fever. I wouldn't know. I'm not a doctor – but YOU are. And she's asking for you."

Jack finally grasped the hand extended to him and allowed James to pull him to standing.

"But what if she dies and it's my fault?" Jack asked him.

The other man looked him in the eye and Jack saw pain that went straight through to the soul.

"You'll wish you were dead," James said with the voice of experience. "But you'll keep going because what else can you do?"

Jack opened his mouth to apologize again for Juliet's death but James interrupted before he could get the words out.

"Besides, maybe she's not dying. I hope she's not dying. I hate to think of me and you stuck on this island for the next twenty years without her to play referee, don't you?" James tried that cocky grin again but it was half-hearted at best.

"Did you leave her alone?" Jack asked, suddenly coming to his senses.

"Hugo's with her. . .hope to goodness she's not bleeding because you know Hugo and. . ."

But Jack was gone before he could say the word, ". . .blood."

Jack stood on the beach and looked at the sailboat before him. They had a bearing – he still had a hard time believing it but they had a bearing. He turned to Kate beside him – cradling their infant son in her arms – tears streaming down her face. He put an arm around her and squeezed.

"You sure you don't want to go?" he asked.

Kate brushed away the tears on the baby's blanket and shook her head.

"I'm with you, Jack. I was always with you," she said and impulsively she rose up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Then, the two of them turned to wave at James Ford as he sailed away.


End file.
